At a time when research on the ancient synagogue is as prolific
as ever, Runesson, Binder, and Olsson provide us with a most useful
source book on the earliest evidence of the ancient synagogue. The
survey ends at 200 CE., and thus does not cover many of the most
famous synagogues from late antiquity. As a consequence e.g., Dura
Europos is treated only briefly with regard to the first phase of
its building. For Sardis, readers will find only two relevant
passages from Josephus' Jewish Antiquities; no information on
its grand synagogue dating from a later period. But there is, of
course, enough important material to be discussed from the period
under investigation. The book is the latest product of a large
research project on ancient synagogues conducted between 1997 and
2001 at Lund University and serves as an ideal companion to the
collection of articles edited by B. Olsson and M. Zetterholm
covering the very same period (The Ancient Synagogue From its
Origins Until 200 C.E.: Papers Presented at an International
Conference at Lund University, October 14-17, 2001, Stockholm
2003).

200 C.E. is a well chosen terminus ante quem because it
allows the authors to include the Mishnah as an important source for
the early synagogue (even if, as the authors rightly stress [p. 3
n.5], rabbinic influence on the synagogue became truly important
only later). By not choosing the year 70 as a cut-off date, the
editors wisely avoid taking a stance (p. 15) with respect to the
importance of the fall of the temple in Jerusalem for the
development of the ancient synagogue. What makes the book unusual
and incredibly helpful is that it brings together literary and
archaeological sources. Ancient texts, including those only hinting
at a synagogue, are provided in the original languages (Hebrew,
Aramaic, Greek, and Latin) and in translation. Brill is to be
congratulated for the handsome printing of both Greek and Hebrew
texts. Rarely do misspellings in Hebrew (e.g. p. 110: read
ובשׁבת [m. Meg.
4:1] and ומתרגם
[m. Meg. 4:6]) and misplaced Greek accents (e.g. p. 76: twice read ἤδη[Jos. Vit. 280. 295]) spoil the picture.
Juvenal's third satire (sat. 3.278-300) is here rather unconventionally presented
as a prose text (p. 231).

The book opens up with a very brief introduction (pp. 1-19),
which is unfortunately too short to adequately summarize current
research trends. The strength of the book lies first of all in the
presentation of all available evidence pertaining to the earliest
synagogues in the land of Israel and the Diaspora (p. 15). First
synagogues from the land of Israel are presented and discussed
(alphabetically from Caesarea to Tiberias), then those from the
Diaspora (according to geographic regions (from Achaia to Syria).
Each source is presented with a bibliography followed by a brief
commentary.

As is well known, scholars disagree in numerous cases about
whether a text in fact deals with an ancient synagogue. Now, it can
be taken as a sign of modesty on the side of the authors that the
volume includes even those archaeological sites where the editors
themselves strongly doubt that the buildings under discussion should
be identified as synagogues: such is the case with the buildings at
Magdala, Qatzion, and Shuafat (pp. 55. 64-65.75-76). Nevertheless,
those dubitanda should, if not left out, at least be placed
together in a separate chapter on incerta.

The comments, both on archaeological sites and on literary
sources, are always sound and well argued. The authors leave the
question of the origin of the synagogue open, but refer with some
sympathy to the thesis (powerfully argued by Lee Levine in his
Ancient Synagogue, New Haven 2000, 26-31) that the city-gate
might have been the matrix in which the early synagogue was born
(pp. 115-116). With regard to the place of women in the early
synagogue, the authors join more recent scholarship by arguing that
there is not widespread evidence (is there any?) that men and
women were seated separately (pp. 116-117: with regard to m. Neg.
13:12 which deals with a מחיצה built
up in a synagogue for lepers).

The many relevant passages from the New Testament are adequately
presented and explained - as is to be expected from three New
Testament scholars. A. Runesson's important scholarship on the
synagogue at Ostia is reflected in this volume in that the treatment
of that synagogue is more detailed (pp. 225-230).

The book includes many illustrations and concludes with sources
on Jewish temples outside Jerusalem, most famously from Elephantine
and Leontopolis, a bibliography, helpful indices and a map of
synagogue sites referenced in the book.

I recently used this source book for a seminar on the ancient
synagogue and I can only recommend it highly. The $200 price
unfortunately puts it out of reach for students. One can only hope
that a second volume covering the later synagogue development and
hinted at in the introduction (p. 16 n.53) will follow soon and that
it will be more moderately priced.